(em português → sol2070.in/2024/04/ficcao-climatica-the-wall/ )

John Lanchester's “The Wall” (2019) is a powerful piece of climate fiction. Without didacticism, it throws us straight into the dystopia, decades in the future, of "an island nation, something like England" where all young people, including women, have to serve two years in the military at a wall that has closed off the country.

We follow young Joseph Kavanagh from his first day in the service to developments that go far beyond the initial premise.

For those unfamiliar with the consequences of the current climate emergency, there is a certain mystery and suspense. The causes that led to the situation or the nature of the main threat are only commented on indirectly. Because the scenario, from the narrator's point of view, doesn't need to be explained.

Even so, being familiar with the predictions of what will happen in a decade or two is not a requirement for reading. The book simply works as a sweeping dystopian journey, with remarkable twists and turns and sub-genres such as romance, coming of age and survival adventure.

As well as being memorably well-written and creating a totally immersive world, another merit is that it not only shows this side of the wall, but also delves into the other side.